It is known to track business referrals and subsequent income on the Internet. However, to date, retailers providing signs or other tangible items that eventually lead to downstream sales on the Internet have not been compensated beyond the initial purchase of the sign or tangible item. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,968,513 B1 (Rinebold) discloses an online interactive system comprising a business referral and income generation system linked to one or more listed websites of businesses in a particular locality. Revenue is generated by way of such methods as: merchants listing their web sites in one or more web site directories for multiple communities; banner ads; local and national coupons issued by merchants; classified job listings; classified realty listings; “4 Sale” ads; and fees for supplemental services called “Extended Services” serving to provide interactive capabilities to static web sites. The system enables accounting of and compensation of authorized agents of the system who refer advertisers. The agents use an identifying account number to order advertising services online at the system. Once a client places an ad, listing or coupon using an agent's identification number, the agent is compensated by receiving a referral fee based on the revenue generated to the system, as a result of the client ordering advertising services from the system.
Unfortunately, Rinebold makes no provision for retailers. This invention creates a referral system whereby an agent is compensated for online revenue that they helped create with some type of sales activity. However, the agents in this invention do not sell “For Sale” signs or any other tangible product; they sell advertising space on the website either directly or with coupons. The coupons have an account number that identifies the agent and affords the tracking of any revenue generated by the use of the coupon. The agent is then compensated for the revenue that stems from the use of the coupon. The distributor of the coupon is compensated if and when such an individual pays for listing their personal property that they wish to sell.
Thus, Rinebold does not disclose a compensation process based on the sale of a tangible item, specifically, a “For Sale” sign, and correlation of the tangible item with an Internet site. In contrast, the compensation process in Rinebold is based on coupons or other advertising elements (i.e., not a tangible product from a retailer) that are related to an Internet site and is initialized by the purchase of the advertising element. Alternately stated, Rinebold does not teach incremental revenue and Rinebold's activities are completely linked to an Internet site and there is no sale of a marketable commodity could serve as the catalyst for generating incremental revenue.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,853,979 B1 (Bass) discloses a method of marketing a good or service which includes a “For Sale” sign that has a preprinted website address on it. Sellers of a good or service can post information about the good or service on the website. Consumers can visit the website to view the information by reference to a unique identifier, such as a number, listed on the sign. The website may be adapted to allow consumers to browse all available goods within a particular category. The website owner may charge a fee to the seller, consumer, or both. The website may also be adapted such the sale of the product is consummated online, the provider receives payment from the buyer and then forwards the payment to the seller. The provider may then deduct a fee for this service.
Unfortunately, Bass only teaches compensating parties involved in an Internet transaction and does not teach compensating the retailer of the “For Sale” sign or other tangible product for incremental revenue generated by the sale of the product. It does not teach or suggest the generation of revenue other than the sale of the product to be listed by the seller and the possible fee that may be charged to the seller or buyer who uses the online service. Thus, the only compensation that is taught by this patent is the fee that the website provider might collect.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2004/0078305 A1 (Weller) discloses a product tracking and income distribution method that determines, via a code, which store and/or sales representative assisted with a product sale that a consumer purchased over the Internet. The apparatus uses an Internet site with a database for storing codes that retrieves and holds detailed product information, retailer profiles, and potential representative's identities. When a consumer views a product within a traditional retail store and is interested in buying the product, a master code is generated by the store that details the store profile, product details, and sales representative (if applicable) involved with the product viewing. The consumer uses the code and places an order online. The code utilized by the consumer ensures the store earns a preprogrammed viewing fee and the sales representative earns his/her commissions from the predetermined commission of the product code purchase.
Unfortunately, Weller teaches “tracking,” on the Internet, a sale of a product offered by a retailer, but does not have any teachings regarding downstream sales activities. Instead, Weller only teaches compensating an employee of the retailer for a product sold by the retailer (via the Internet).
U.S. Patent Application No. 2005/0171838 (Eglinton) discloses an internet-based and tangible referral system that enables individuals and other business entities to market products in return for compensation which is paid as a result from any sale or sales lead that is generated by the individual or business entity. A uniquely modified version of the printed web page or electronically transferred document, which explicitly or non-explicitly identifies the relationship or the offer, is instrumental to the tracking and fulfillment of commissions paid to the individual or business entity.
Unfortunately, Eglinton teaches businesses utilizing a website and associated software to facilitate the online sale of their products or services by compensating individuals who print and distribute/display advertisements for their business, but does not address items sold by a retail establishment.
In general, a retailer is not able to financially participate in revenues generated via the Internet for a product sold by the retailer, for example, a real estate “For Sale” sign. In fact, it is possible that a retailer may sell a product that contains advertising or promotions for competitors of the retailer.
Thus, there is a long-felt need to provide a method and system for compensating a retail establishment for downstream Internet revenue associated with an item sold by the establishment, in particular, a “For Sale” sign.